Cleaner for paint rollers

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for cleaning paint rollers comprises a relatively thick, solid body having an aperture therethrough, preferably of truncated, conical configuration, for admitting a paint roller for scraping paint therefrom by contact with the bottom, beveled cleaning edge of the aperture. The top portion of the body includes an integral, annular peripheral flange, or bearing surface, serving as a hand grip. In one deep dished, embodiment of the invention, the material is constructed of a sufficiently low modulus material that some pressure exerted on the bearing surface causes the edges of the aperture to be deflected inwardly to aid the cleaning action.

United States Patent 1 Demers 51 Jan.2,1973

[54] CLEANER FOR PAINT ROLLERS [22] Filed: Nov. 13, 1970 [21] Appl. No.:89,418

[52] US. Cl. ..15/236 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B44d 3/00 [58] Field ofSearch..15/236 R, 230.11, 260, 104.04, IS/l04.92, 230

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,961,683 1l/l960 Meyer..15/236 R 1,682,571 8/1928 I-Ioran ..15/236 R 2,550,487 4/1951MacLatchie ..l5/104.04 X

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 12,576 1903 Great Britain ..15/236 R hIV/II ."r. I iv/77F M 2 t 498,680 2/1951 Belgium ..15/230.ll

Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Attorney-Pearson & Pearson [57]ABSTRACT An apparatus for cleaning paint rollers comprises a relativelythick, solid body having an aperture therethrough, preferably oftruncated, conical con-' 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ROMEO J. N. DEMERS/nven for By Pea/140w "PM Attorneys CLEANER FOR PAINT ROLLERS BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION There have been a considerable number of efforts madeto develop a satisfactory device for cleaning wet paint from paintrollers. These rollers, unless properly cleaned, must be discarded. Notonly is the cost of the roller lost, but the cost of the paint left onthe roller is also lost. Moreover, there is the not-infrequent problemassociated with an inexperienced workman wasting time by attempting topaint with a roller which should have been discarded. Usually, thesurface such a workman paints will have to be repainted.

A number of disclosures have been made of devices useful in cleaningpaint rollers. These include such tong-like devices as disclosed byMeyer in U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,683 and by Krzanowski in U.S. Pat. No.2,761,165. Other more complex devices are disclosed by Macaulay in U.S.Pat. No. 2,819,483 and Dalton in U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,456.

A problem faced by all the inventors of paint-roller cleaning devices isachieving an effective means for transferring force exerted during thecleaning into the area of the cleaner near the attachment of the fabricnap to the roller base and to maintain that force during the entirecleaning operation.

This requirement has become especially severe with the advent ofthixotropic pain formulations which resist flow until a certain amountof stress is applied to them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the invention toprovide an improved paint-roller cleaning apparatus which permitscleaning pressure to be applied equally along each opposite side of theroller axis.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint roller cleaningapparatus which facilitates the transmission of force exerted thereondeep into the nap of the paint roller, without permanently damaging thenap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint-roller cleaningapparatus which is particularly advantageous when used to cleanthixotropic paints from rollers.

Other objects of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in theart on reading the instant application.

The above objects have been substantially achieved by the constructionof a paint-roller cleaning apparatus formed in a general dish-shapedconfiguration, and having a flange for a bearing surface around the topthereof and a relatively deep, preferably tapered sidewall connectingthe flange with the bottom of the dish-shaped structure. The bottom ofthe structure has an aperture for admitting a paint roller thereto. Theaperture is so sized that the edge, or rim, thereof provides a snugwiping action when the device is pushed downwardly in relation to thepaint-roller by pressure on the flange.

It has been discovered that, when the cleaner of the invention isconstructed out of somewhat flexible material, e.g. thin metal sheet, ormore advantageously a thermoplastic having a tensile modulus of lessthan 2 X psi as measured by ASTM test method D638, the flexibility ofthe material has been found to enhance the cleaning action of theapparatus of the invention. This is probably because pressure exerted onthe flange is transmitted through the side wall and provides an inwardand upward force vector to the cleaning edges of the apparatus.Generally, the side walls of the apparatus should be at least one inchhigh to take advantage of this construction with the most advantageouslyused plastics.

The optimum cleaning edge is usually selected with reference to theparticular paint-carrying nap on a particular roller and/or the kind ofpaint to be cleaned from the roller. The edge can be bevelled outwardlyor vertically. A particularly advantageous construction is one where theedge is both bevelled and provided with teeth. The teeth-bearing edgecan be sawtoothed or it can be equipped with a plurality of relativelyblunt teeth. These latter are advantageous in avoiding an excessivelyharsh mechanical treatment of the fabric nap.

It is possible to modify the apparatus to make it adjustable, i.e.,capable of handling paint rollers of various sizes. This can be done ina variety of ways, i.e., disk-like inserts for placing at the bottom ofthe device or by using an adjustable tightening means as illustratedbelow.

ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partially schematic section of apparatus constructedaccording to the invention and showing its use in cleaning of a paintroller.

FIG. 2 is a section of a particularly advantageous embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3is a bottom plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, from the bottom of a split adjustablecleaner.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment, and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is seen a shallow paint tray 10 with a paintroller 12 mounted therein. A cleaning apparatus 14 according to theinvention comprises a generally dish-shaped body 16 having a bottom wall18 with an aperture 20, into which roller 12 is snugly admitted. Theannular, peripheral flange 22, extends entirely around the top of thebody 16, of relatively thick solid material, and provides a hand grip,or bearing surface, for transmitting force through the side wall 21 ofbody 16 and bottom wall 18 to roller 12.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention inwhich the body 16 is deeply dished, with a side wall 21 of about 3inches in height. The rim 23 of bottom wall 18, around aperture 20, isbeveled at 24 and preferably provided with a plurality of spaced apartblunt teeth 25. The bevelled cleaning edge 24 V avoids tearing, orripping, of the nap 26 on roller 12.

FIG. 4 illustrates one convenient structure for adjusting the diameterof the circular aperture 20, to fit snugly down to the base of thefibers in the nap 26 of paint rollers of various diameter. The deepwalled, peripheral flanged roller cleaner 28, is similar to apparatus14, except that the side wall 29 is split at 30, overlaps at 31 and 32and is provided with slots 33 and 34 and wing nut, bolts 35 and 36 foradjustment to any diameter of aperture 20 desired.

In FIG. 5 a paint roller 12 is shown detached from the handle andvertically supported on one end by a truncated, conical element 38 in apaint roller tray 10, or other convenient receptacle. The deep walled,peripherally flanged cleaner 39, corresponds to apparatus 14, exceptthat it is inverted to take advantage of the strength of the deepstructure while placing the aperture at the top end of the roll.Suitable hand grip flanges 40 and 41 are provided to permit the cleanerto be pushed downwardly lengthwise of the nap 26 to remove the paint 42trapped at the base of the nap fibers 43. The aperture 20 is sized forlarge diameter rollers, and a disk-like insert 45, is detachably mountedwithin the cleaner, the insert 45 having a smaller aperture 46, whichfits snugly on the roll. Insert 45 is one of a set of apertured diskseach having an outer periphery 47 fitting within the cleaner 39 and eachhaving an inner periphery 48 defining a different sized aperture such as46, for different sized rollers.

As shown in FIG. 6 a cleaner 51, may be formed of flat, relatively thicksolid sheet material 52, preferably of plastic and of sufficientstrength to permit any one of the different sized apertures 53, 54 or 55to be encircled on a correspondingly sized roller such as 12 and pusheddownwardly to remove paint therefrom. The cleaner 51 may also have agrooved end in the form of half a truncated cone as at 56 for scraping aroller. Cleaner 51 may have a peripheral flange as a hand grip or theapertures may form hand grip holes.

It will be understood that the rims of the apertures of all of theembodiments of the invention are preferably tapered, or bevelleddownwardly as at 24, and preferably the bevelled rims are provided withspaced blunt teeth such as 25.

While the cleaner 14 of FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaner 39 of FIG. 5 and thecleaner 51 of FIG. 6 may be formed of relatively thick material such assolid or foam plastic, the cleaner 28 of FIG. 4 is formed of relativelythin, flexible, resilient, distortable material such as plastic or metalsheeting. Downward pressure of the hand grip flange portions of thevarious cleaner embodiments, tends to cause the rim, or edge, of theroller apertures to be deflected inwardly, thereby aiding the cleaningand squeezing action. A thermoplastic having a tensile modulus of lessthan 2 X 10 psi as measured by ASTM test method D638 has been found mostsatisfactory for the cleaner of the invention.

The side walls of the cleaner may range from one inch to three and onehalf inches in height, but the latter depth is preferred.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

l. A cleaning apparatus for a paint roller said apparatus comprising aone piece body of relatively thick, solid material having an aperturetherethrough, said aperture being of predetermined diameter to admit apaint roller and said body having a bottom rim around said aperture witha circular, beveled, cleaning edge for contact with said roller and saidbody having an outwardly extending, integral peripheral, annular, flangeproximate the top thereof, said flange forming a hand grip with a flatplanar bearing surface, facilitating manual operation of the cleaningapparatus.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is formed withaperture of truncated, conical configuration, the small open end thereofforming said beveled bottom rim.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 plus a plurality of teeth integrallyformed on said body and extending inwardly and downwardly at spaceddistances around said beveled cleaning edge.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is unsplit and deepdish shaped with a bottom wall in parallelism with said flat planarbearing surface of said hand grip flange, said bottom wall containingsaid aperture and said body having said walls of from about 1 inch to3.5 inches in height.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is deep dish shapedand includes a plurality of apertured disks each detachably fittingwithin said body and each having an aperture of a different size toadmit a roller of predetermined diameter.

6. A cleaner for removing residual paint from the base of the fibers ofthe nap of a paint roller, said cleaner comprising a one piece, deeplydished body of hollow, truncated conical, configuration, said bodyhaving a thick bottom wall at the small end thereof with a circularaperture of predetermined diameter substantially equal to the diameterof said roller and less than the diameter of said small end at the baseof said fibers and having an annular flange hand grip extendingperipherally around the large end thereof, whereby said cleaner may beadvanced along said roller from end to end to clean the same.

7. A cleaner as specified in claim 6 wherein said body is of thin,flexible, resilient sheet material and split longitudinally to form anadjustable split collar, or sleeve.

8. A cleaner as specified in claim 6 wherein said body includes a bottomrim around said aperture which tapers downwardly and outwardly to form atapered entrance throat for said nap, and said body includes a pluralityof spaced, blunt teeth extending around said throat.

1. A cleaning apparatus for a paint roller said apparatus comprising a one piece body of relatively thick, solid material having an aperture therethrough, said aperture being of predetermined diameter to admit a paint roller and said body having a bottom rim around said aperture with a circular, beveled, cleaning edge for contact with said roller and said body having an outwardly extending, integral peripheral, annular, flange proximate the top thereof, said flange forming a hand grip with a flat planar bearing surface, facilitating manual operation of the cleaning apparatus.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is formed with aperture of truncated, conical configuration, the small open end thereof forming said beveled bottom rim.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 plus a plurality of teeth integrally formed on said body and extending inwardly and downwardly at spaced distances around said beveled cleaning edge.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is unsplit and deep dish shaped with a bottom wall in parallelism with said flat planar bearing surface of said hand grip flange, said bottom wall containing said aperture and said body having said walls of from about 1 inch to 3.5 inches in height.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is deep dish shaped and includes a plurality of apertured disks each detachably fitting within said body and each having an aperture of a different size to admit a roller of predetermined diameter.
 6. A cleaner for removing residual paint from the base of the fibers of the nap of a paint roller, said cleaner comprising a one piece, deeply dished body of hollow, truncated conical, configuration, said body having a thick bottom wall at the small end thereof with a circular aperture of predetermined diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said roller and less than the diameter of said small end at the base of said fibers and having an annular flange hand grip extending peripherally around the large end thereof, whereby said cleaner may be advanced along said roller from end to end to clean the same.
 7. A cleaner as specified in claim 6 wherein said body is of thin, flexible, resilient sheet material and split longitudinally to form an adjustable split collar, or sleeve.
 8. A cleaner as specified in claim 6 wherein said body includes a bottom rim around said aperture which tapers downwardly and outwardly to form a tapered entrance throat for said nap, and said body includes a plurality of spaced, blunt teeth extending around said throat. 